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Earth Day is Monday, April 22, and it serves as a good reminder
of the importance of protecting our planet. Being kind to the
environment is also healthy for your company's pocketbook. Jode
Roberts, Communications Director of the David Suzuki Foundation, a Vancouver-based
environmental awareness organization says greening
you workplace operations is one of the best ways to
improve your company’s bottom line.

1. Encourage smarter commuting.
We all know walking, cycling or car pooling to work is an easy
way to cut down on pollution, but small-business owners can do
even more to encourage employees to use these eco-friendly
commuting options. "Providing a bike rack or a shower for
employees who want to cycle to work is an easy way to support
[eco-friendly commuters]," says Roberts. Some companies even
provide financial incentives to employees who cycle or take
public transportation to work or meetings rather than taking
taxis.

2. Cut down on paper use.
Save trees and your office supply budget by eliminating as much
paper from your office as possible. Invite staff and clients to
view presentations on their individual laptops or a large screen
rather than handing out copies. Change the default setting on
printers to double-sided and invite staff to create a scrap paper
box. Install cloth roll dispensers or air dryers in washrooms and
use cloth towels instead of paper towels in the office kitchen.

3. Eliminate energy vampires.
When not in use, unplug cell phone chargers, televisions, and
anything else with an LED display. "These devices are commonly
referred to as energy vampires -- appliances that are always
drawing a current even though you aren't using them," says
Roberts. Install a timer to turn off appliances during the
evenings and weekends when they're not in use and ask employees
to turn off their computers when they leave the office and use
the power save setting on laptops.

Replace incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (compact florescent
light bulbs) or energy efficient T8 or T5 florescent tubes
instead of T12s to reduce energy consumption by around 40
percent. Since these lights emit less heat, you’ll also save on
air conditioning in the summer months.

4. Source local food for meetings.
If you order out for client or staff meetings, use caterers that
source local, sustainable food.By buying local, you're supporting
local farms and preventing nearby farmland from falling into the
hands of large developers. You can also feel good about cutting
down on the use of fossil fuels and pollutants emitted by trucks
that carry produce thousands of miles to your meeting table.